Lillard, who played in all 82 regular season games for the third time in as many campaigns, wants to sign a rookie extension in the offseason, The Oregonian reports. In his exit interview Thursday, he said, "For me, this is where I want to be. Whatever we need to do to make that happen, we'll make happen."

Damian Lillard – from noted basketball power Weber State – took the NBA by storm in his first season, posting averages of 19.0 points, 6.5 assists and 3.1 boards while shooting over 42 percent from the floor and 84 percent from the free-throw line. That performance earned him much-deserved Rookie of the Year honors. What can we expect from Lillard in his sophomore campaign? The Blazers are hoping for even more – and less. As impressive as he was on the offensive end last season, the word "sieve" comes up entirely too often in assessments of his defense. You can expect that to be a big offseason priority – Portland even discussed having Lillard work out with Hall-of-Famer Gary Payton – and while steals aren't an ideal measure of a basketball player's defensive prowess, it seems fair to expect his average (0.9 steals last season) to increase. On the other hand, one of the reasons Lillard put up such impressive numbers was usage – he logged a staggering 389 mpg last season – second-most in the league. The Blazers would like to reduce his workload a bit this year, which is one reason they used the 10th overall pick in the 2013 draft on C.J. McCollum and added veteran guard Mo Williams in free agency. Ideally, the efficiency that comes from a year's experience in the league will offset any loss of playing time.

2012-13

Lillard was named the co-MVP of the Las Vegas Summer League after averaging an impressive 26.5 points (on 43.8 percent shooting), 5.3 dimes, and 4.0 rebounds in four contests. In the process, he dazzled the crowd with a smooth stroke from outside and an ability to finish at the rim through contact, while also excelling in the pick-and-roll. If he establishes instant chemistry with Aldridge the All-Star, Lillard’s ample minutes load and status as Portland’s unquestioned floor general could result in an interesting Rookie of the Year conversation.